Gershon Lomugdang
Going through the equipping of Walk-Through-Say-To-Archippus (STA) last year was a great journey, I was hesitant at the very beginning, not sure how I would fare as a student because I had not sit in a classroom set-up for almost a decade. The experience was a blast! The sessions were not as I expected: “lecture-us-for-two-long-hours” type of classes. It was so exciting that we could not wait for another Tuesday to come, when we would meet one another for the training. We wanted all days of the week to be a Tuesday!
What awakened me the most as we walked through STA was the revelation of the kingdom of God. In STA as well as in his teachings, Pastor Henson clearly showed it to us that God is operating and emphasizing the kingdom of God right from the very beginning.
It might have looked like the temptation of Eve and the treason of Adam caused some delays, but God is high, over and above it all. He started to reveal His plan of redemption, and what got me to have almost fallen off my seat experience was the revelation of how God at the beginning called the sons of Jacob as “children of Israel” and subsequently called them “My armies”. Chapter 5 of STA, Pastor Henson’s book, stands out as a highlighted part of my STA journey.
With this growing revelation of Jesus as Saviour/ King, the family of God/kingdom of God, sons of God/soldiers of God, and the gospel of salvation/gospel of the kingdom, it has changed the way I navigate through life and ministry. Reading through my prepared sermons from last year, I can obviously see the dominant thread of an Archippian flavour.
I am Archippus and what fills my heart spills over my mouth. My paradigm has shifted, I now strive to see through a balanced pair of lenses: Jesus is both SAVIOUR AND KING — we are sons and soldiers of the Most High.
My Archippian Journey is progressively exciting. With faithfulness and humility, I will keep my heart pliable and expect the rides from here onward will only get better and better.
Dear Archippus…
Do you consider yourself a member of the Army of God, a fellow soldier with others in the Body of Christ? What do you understand by the kingdom of God?
Henson writes in Say To Archippus, “Every believer has an assigned task that contributes to the greater mission of the kingdom of God.” When we are not busy with the agenda of the kingdom, we become preoccupied with the agenda of the world. What you are busy with?
About Gershon
Gershon is married to Catherine and they have one daughter. He serves as lead pastor at New Life Butuan and is passionate to see more men become a man God called and created them to be. He bikes regularly with his fellow pastors.